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a ten barrel company

Some companies measure their progress in sales, profits or staff numbers, others in customer satisfaction. I would like to plot our development against beer consumption at the annual staff BBQ and Christmas bash. Experience has taught me that how many turn up, and how long they stay, is as good a barometer of how well we are doing as anything my accountant can produce. I remember 2001 more by the dreadful Christmas party, when I felt obliged to drink everything because no one showed up, than by the accounts six months later which showed the worst year since starting the business.

So it was with some satisfaction that I viewed the wreckage on Sunday morning. Despite a rain delayed start, we are now a ten barrel company, or we would be, had we not switched to tinnies over the years. The football match, which used to be more of a gladiatorial contest has calmed down over the years, which is probably a good thing because people used to be hobbling around for weeks.

Its that time of year again when there are just not enough English Organic apples to go round. Due to our damp climate, Devon is not a good place to grow dessert fruit, though we do well with cider varieties, which are more able to tolerate fungal diseases. However we kick off the English apple season with Discovery this week. As I write they are still hanging on Paul Ward